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More people inspired to make over homes
Last weekend, I spent two lovely, sunny days manning
my booth at the Fremont Festival of the Arts. It was
delightful talking with past clients who came to say
hello and also meeting new ones. A good many people
recognized me from this column, and I give a heartfelt
thank you to those who were kind enough to say I look
prettier in person than in my photo.
I was interested to hear about people's home improvement
challenges. With the increasing popularity of HGTV,
people are more interested than ever in creating beautiful,
comfortable homes to share with their family and friends.
Many people shared that they were trading up to larger
homes to accommodate their growing families. Larger
homes pose challenges. Many people said things like, "My
living room is empty. It needs everything! Where do
I begin?" Others said, "The new house needs
updating. What do you recommend for floors/counters/lighting/colors?" The
best thing to do is go slowly. It doesn't need to be
fixed up overnight. Live in the new house for a while;
get a feel for how you use the new space. Draw a scaled
floor plan of the room so you know what size the furniture
pieces need to be. Research different materials so
you can decide between hardwood, laminate and vinyl
flooring.
While some are moving up to larger homes, others are
downsizing. Now that they are retired empty-nesters,
many homeowners are trading square footage for homes
that are smaller, cozier and easier to maintain. Downsizing
poses its own challenges, such as what to do with all
of that extra furniture. One question I heard several
times was, "How do we fit 3000 square feet of
furniture into our new 1800 square foot home?" The
answer is: You don't. You carefully select those pieces
that are the most meaningful and the most practical
for you. You select the pieces that fit and that will
serve you well in that new, smaller space. You sell
or donate the rest.
Many festival-goers liked the whole concept of the
one-day interior redesign shown in my photo display. "I
like my things," some said. "I just don't
like how they are arranged." Others said, "I've
had the same arrangement for years and I'm tired of
it, but I don't know what else to do." These are
the perfect clients for redesign. It's amazing how
a redesigner's objective eye and flair for design can
make such a big difference in someone's home.
Lots of folks were ready to banish white walls from
their homes and were looking for a little guidance
and courage. I understand the fear involved in picking
colors, but I encourage you to give it a try! Believe
me, once you try color on your walls, you will never
go back to white.
For any home improvement challenges, don't be afraid
to ask for help from an interior decorator or designer.
We are full of creative ideas, information and resources
to help you create a home you will love.
This article first appeared in Alameda Newspaper
Group papers on Aug. 20, 2005.
Go
back to the list of decorating columns.
All articles copyright 2003-2008 Anna
Jacoby.
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